WASHINGTON — President Obama, acknowledging he’s been battered by political “dings,” said he doesn’t expect Hillary Clinton will tap him for campaign appearances in a potential 2016 run.

The American people will want “that new car smell,” Obama said on ABC’s “This Week.” “They wanna drive something off the lot that doesn’t have as much mileage as me.”

Obama, dogged by big defeats in the midterm election and a toxic relationship with Republicans, said he understands Clinton will want to stand independently from him during an expected presidential campaign.

“She’s not going to agree with me on everything. And, you know, one of the benefits of running for president is you can stake out your own positions,” Obama said, who called Clinton a “friend” with whom he talks regularly.

Clinton has already carved out differences from Obama, such as wanting to arm the Syrian rebels when Obama did not, but the former secretary of state offered support for Obama’s executive action Thursday, thanking him for “taking action on immigration in the face of inaction.”

Obama said Clinton would be a “formidable candidate” and “great president” but said “a number of other possible Democratic candidates would be terrific presidents” as well.

The best way to set up a Democratic successor, he said, is to improve government services over the next two years so Americans feel more confident.

“They’re probably not gonna be looking at me to campaign too much,” Obama said of 2016 hopefuls. “You know, one of the things about our society which is great is that we don’t have real long memories. And, you know, we get impatient for the next thing.

“I think at the end of two years, if they want me to do some selective things — I’ll be happy to do ’em, but I suspect that folks will be ready to see me go off to the next thing.”